iCloud is often notorious for being unreliable. Critics say Apple should include more than 5GB of storage for free, and cloud syncing is messy and inconsistent. Some developers dislike iCloud so much that they tried so hard to create their own cloud sync service.
Most of the complaints are valid, but iCloud is also significantly underestimated in important aspects. Not once but twice saved my entire computer from a complete apocalypse. Without Apple’s seamless iCloud integration, I would have lost all my files, all my apps, and all my data.
It’s come a long way over the years and I don’t even need to do computer backups anymore.
The secret to iCloud is to upgrade your storage so I hope it can save you one day too. Giving yourself more breathing space ensures that in the event of destruction, nearly everything stays safely in the cloud – even more than you might think.
Let me explain.
How macOS Sierra Beta Destroyed My Mac
Ever since Apple started releasing public betas of macOS and legacy OS X, I’ve run them on my main machine: the 13-inch MacBook Air mid-2011. (Please don’t judge me, I know my sad notebook has left its old period behind.) Let me tell you from the beginning, I definitely do not recommend this. Do not install beta versions of operating systems on the computer you depend on every day.
I did it anyway because I love shiny new things and frankly I don’t have any self-control.
Of course, a beta version of macOS Sierra 10.12. After installing and restarting my Mac, I noticed that the computer was unbearably slow. There was a delay of about three seconds to take any action. I couldn’t type the exact words because each keystroke would take seconds to appear on the screen, and clicking anything in itself had a significant delay.
When I finally managed to check my hard drive, I realized I had zero storage left. I hadn’t installed anything new except the beta update and I had about 30GB free before. Deleting large files was not freeing up space.
Disk Utility said that my hard drive really had errors in recovery mode that I needed to fix. After entering recovery mode (hold Command + R while your computer boots up) Disk Utility said the problems were irreparable. Just dandy.
Do not install beta versions of operating systems on the computer you depend on every day.
At that point I realized that I had to completely wipe my computer. I had to do this once before due to a faulty El Capitan beta. No matter how many backups you make or how many files are in the cloud, wiping your entire disk still comes with a pang of anxiety. But I did.
Disk Utility wiped my hard drive for me. Next, I had to clean OS X Lion in recovery mode first, since that’s what my MacBook Air came with. It was fun to play with on this old-school OS for a while, but it quickly made its way to the App Store to install the stable release, macOS Sierra. This whole process took about three hours.
How iCloud Saved My Entire Mac
Being able to wipe clean a Mac and see all your files reopen is truly a magical experience.
Still, I knew I was in pretty good hands. After all, almost everything I do on my devices is somehow connected with the Apple ecosystem (or any other sync service). My calendars, notes, entire photo library, contacts and reminders are synced via iCloud.
All my files are in iCloud Drive, including the new Desktop and Documents feature in Sierra. All my music is in iCloud Music Library thanks to my Apple Music subscription.
I sync and save all my passwords via Dashlane. Google Chrome has its own sync of bookmarks and settings (as in Safari). Spark syncs my email accounts and settings across all devices. And finally, almost all my apps come from the Mac App Store.
When macOS Sierra was finally installed, all I had to do was type in my Apple ID and password. Everything started to load on my computer instantly. The files I lost were just some working files that I stored locally (sorry, Abhijeet.) Now I also keep them in iCloud Drive to be safe.
I also had to reinstall all my apps, most of which were waiting for me in the Purchased tab in the Mac App Store, so this was easy enough. I had to call my email to get the software license for a few apps, but it was a quick process too.
Being able to wipe clean a Mac and see all your files reopen is truly a magical experience. In the past, restoring from backups would take hours and many files wouldn’t even arrive where you wanted them to.
If you’re fully in the Apple ecosystem – namely Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch and/or iPad – the trick is to upgrade your iCloud storage. Don’t settle for 5GB. 50GB is only $0.99/month and larger storage options are also available very cheaply. Make sure you upgrade to enough storage to keep all your files in the cloud, especially on your Mac.
How to Upgrade Your iCloud Storage
Upgrading iCloud storage is surprisingly simple. Open System Preferences Click on your Mac and iCloud.
click overcome… at the bottom right.
If you’re new to paid storage plans, Buy More Storage… If you are already a paid user but want additional storage, Change Storage Plan…
Choose the right storage tier for you. Apple offers 50GB for $0.99 per month, 200GB for $2.99 per month, 1TB for $9.99 per month or 2TB for $19.99 per month. Most people will probably only need 50GB or 200GB.
If you choose to upgrade, Apple will charge your default payment method monthly, I highly recommend it. Hopefully in the near future Apple will include more storage for free, in which case you may reassess the need for an upgrade.
ALSO READ: How to Backup Almost Your Entire Mac on iCloud
